Feed distributing apparatus



April 3, 1956 R. F. WYNN 2,740,557

FEED DISTRIBUTING APPARATUS Original Filed June 28, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet1 ATTORNEKS' April 3, 1956 R. F. WYNN FEED DISTRIBUTING APPARATUS 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed June 28, 1948 IN VENTOR ATTORNEY$ UnitedStates Patent FEED DISTRIBUTING APPARATUS Robert Fred Wynn, deceased,late of Bellevue, Tex., by Ida Wynn, administratrix, Bellevue, Tex.

Original application June 28, 1948, Serial No. 35,642,

now Patent No. 2,675,947, dated April 20, 1954. Divided and thisapplication January 6, 1953, Serial No. 329,762

2 Claims. (Cl. 222-176) The present invention relates to apparatus forthe distribution of granular, lump or pulverulent material over areasdevoted to grazing or agriculture, and comprises essentially a materialstorage bin or hopper, and a mobile support upon which the bin isdetachably mounted in a novel manner. The present application is adivision of Serial No. 35,642, filed June 28, 1948 now Patent No.2,675,947.

More specifically stated the invention contemplates the utilization of afarm conveyance such as a truck Which may be freely moved over pasturelands or plowed fields, and which is modified somewhat for the receptionof a materials bin equipped with material discharge controlling means,the bin being designed and constructed in such manner as to be readilymounted upon and detachably secured to the vehicle. Thus the vehicle, ifa truck, may be used for all purposes for which a truck may normally beemployed but may readily be converted, by the mounting of the materialsbin thereon, into a materials distributing apparatus. The means forsecuring the bin to the truck body is of novel character, enabling theattachment to be effected with minimum effort and the removal of the binfrom the truck to be accomplished quickly, the bin being firmly held inposition while mounted, however, despite movement of the vehicle overrough ground.

One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings in which,

Figure 1 shows in end elevation the rear end of a truck body and, infront elevation, the materials holding bin mounted upon the truck;

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a detail.

The mobile support or vehicle upon which the materials bin is mountedmay be a truck having an open body with parallel sides, such forinstance as that partially illustrated in the drawings, the sides of thetruck body being indicated at and 11 respectively, the bottom or floorat 12, supporting frame at 13 and pivoted back wall or tail gate at 14,this tail gate being mounted for swinging movement upon the horizontalshaft 15 in customary manner. The bin or hopper is generally indicatedat and, in the form of the invention shown, comprises the bin proper 21,having vertical side walls and a hopper shaped bottom indicatedgenerally at 22 comprising three inclined bottom plates extendingdownwardly from the side walls toward a port 23 through which thematerial to be dispensed will be allowed to descend in regulated amountsunder control of the operator. Below discharge port 23 is an integralspout-like extension 25 for directing the falling material downwardlyand outwardly through a vertical discharge port 26. Material passingthrough discharge port 26 will enter a material directing chute 27 andpass through the chute to the ground, the chute being supported in themanner in which it is shown in Figure 2, for inclined discharge.Material is introduced through an opening 30 in the top of the bin, thisopening being normally closed by a hinged cover 31, and the discharge ofthe material through the discharge spout just described is controlled bymeans of a horizontally dis v posed sliding gate 33. i

The bin or hopper 21 is provided with four supporting legs which mayconveniently be angle members such as indicated at 38, 39 and 40 atthree of the corners of l the bin and by a similar member (notillustrated) at the remaining corner. At their lower ends the four legsare connected together by horizontally extending structural members sothat the frame comprises a rigid structural unit. It is detachablysecured in position upon the truck body. Thus the corner of the frame atleg 40 is separately attached to the side wall of the truck body, thevertical flange of the angle member 41 having an extension 41a which isadapted to enter a correspondingly shaped recess defined by the strap 42rigidly attached to the inner face of the side 11 of the truck body. Bya horizontal or sliding movement the extension 41a may be withdrawn fromthe retaining strap andthis extension may be as readily engaged with theretaining strap when the materials bin is again mounted upon the truckbody.

The left rear corner is latched to the side Wall 11 of the truck body bylatching member 44 which may be horizontally reciprocated by means of alever 45 pivoted at 46 upon a rigid cross brace 47. Latch 44 slidablyrests upon a bracket 39a secured to the leg 39 and the outer end of thelatch is provided with a laterally extending portion 47a and a terminalportion 47b parallel to the latch body. By reciprocating the latch inthe direction of its length its terminal portion 47b may be caused topass into aligned apertures formed in the side wall 11 of the truckbody, the leg 39 of the hopper frame, and a reinforcing plate 50attached to the truck side wall. When in the position in which it isshown in full lines in Figure 3 the latch 44 secures the hopper frameand hopper against movement relatively to the truck body, When moved tothe position in which it is shown in dotted lines in Figure 3 the hopperframe is released by the latch and may be withdrawn by a motion whichfrees the extension 41a of bracket 41 from the strap 42. A locking dogor detent 48, normally drawn downwardly onto the latch 44 by a spring49, engages one or the other of the teeth 51 and holds the latch inlocking relation to the side wall until lifted.

The feed distributing apparatus which comprises the subject matter ofthis invention may conveniently be fabricated of iron or steel sheetsand structural shapes, secured together by welding, riveting or by boltsor screws. Within the import of the invention, however, the materialsused in the fabrication of the apparatus may be varied widely, likewisethe methods or means for securing the respective elements of theapparatus in fixed relationship.

By the means described and illustrated the feed distributing bindisclosed, or any generally similar bin, may be securely mounted upon atruck body of conventional character prior to use and readily detachedafter use. Thus the truck may be employed for general purposes wheneverneeded, the feed distributing bin being placed in storage during suchuse. In adapting the invention to truck bodies and feed bins of somewhatdifferent types, it may be necessary to slightly modify the elements ofthe invention in design and arrangement, without modification offunction or result.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a feed distributing apparatus, in combination, a mobile supportincluding a truck body having a generally Patented Apr. 3, 195,6

horizontal floor and a vertically disposed side wall, a distribut'or forgranular material adapted to be carried by said support and including ahopper having a discharge port and a hopper supporting frame havingtruck body floor engaging portions, and means for detachably securingsaid distributor to said truck body in, position to discharge granularmaterial over the rear edge of the floor of said body, said meansincluding latch mechanism for latching the frame of the distributor tothe side wall of the truck body, said latch mechanism being mounted onthe hopper frame and having .a latch member mounted for sliding movementinto or out of engagement with the side wall of the truck body, saidwall having an aperture for the reception ofthe said latch member.

2. In a feed distributing apparatus, in combination, a mobile supportincluding a truck body having a generally horizontal floor and avertically disposed side wall, a distributor for granular materialadapted to be carried by said .support and including a hopper having adischarge port and a hopper supporting frame having truck body floorengaging portions, and means for detachably securing said distributor tosaid truck body in position to discharge granular material over the rearedge of the floor of said body, said means including latch mechanismmounted on the hopper supporting frame for latching the frame of thedistributor to the side wall of the truck body, said latch mechanismcomprising a sliding latch member having a wall-engaging end portion,said wall-engaging end portion of said latch member being substantiallyU-shaped and said latch mechanism mounting slidably supporting saidlatch member for reciprocatory movement along a path beyond the end ofthe truck body side wall, said side wall being provided with an apertureinto which the terminal of said latch end portion may be moved.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSStevens June 19, 1951

